Wokovu: Kovu's Journey
by YFWE
Summary: Kovu had thought that the evil had passed, that with Zira's death all could live in peace and harmony. He was mistaken. And now he will take it upon himself to rectify the problem in the ultimate act of loyalty to his Pride. I need a new summary.
1. The Peace the Evening Brings

**Well, I'm stuck in midst of a Lion King craze right now. How awesome is that?**

**For those of you who don't know me (which I imagine is most of you), my name is YFWE, and I am here to ravage your village, steal your women and party on your front lawn. If you need to know more, visit my profile.**

**First TLK story here. Might be a little rusty. I also don't know what the plot of the story is yet, really. I'm hoping that comes to me eventually.**

**Anyway, yeah… I'd appreciate readers. Readers are pretty nice (usually) and actually make me keep going. Neato!**

**Wish me luck; let's hope this works.**

Wokovu: Kovu's Journey

Chapter 1: The Peace the Evening Brings

The sun had barely set over the Serengeti; twinkling stars had appeared through wispy, ethereal clouds—it was a night not unlike most others. It was serene and calm, a storybook setting.

Out of this surreal background rose Pride Rock, a symbolic cornerstone of the savanna known as the Pride Lands. As the clouds were low that evening, the top of the massive rock structure was extending into the clouds, giving off the impression that the formation was talker than it actually was—not, of course, that Pride Rock was by any means a short structure.

A lone lion stood at the promontory of the Rock that hung out over the ground, his dark mane quivering in the light breeze of the evening. Many fellow lions and lionesses had stood in that very spot—including himself, just a small time prior. Days had passed since the Outlanders had joined the Pridelanders, and slowly, order had been restored to the area. And yet, even then, when one might imagine that all would be right, Kovu was not content.

He was restless, though at first glance one might not know it. He stared straight ahead, off into the distance, where far away the sky was slightly lightened, a swirl of pink and yellow due to the sun's recent setting. Kovu, it seemed, was not admiring the intrinsic beauty of this tapestry of color—something more was on his mind.

Kovu knew in his heart that not all was well. The quarrel had seemingly been ended by the death of his mother; the Outlanders had joined the Pridelanders and were one once more—and Kovu had faithfully believed this was true at first. But when Vitani came to confide in him one night what she had witnessed, what she knew… it was then that Kovu realized his misfortune, and that the Pride—especially Simba—was in grave danger.

The question was how to tell them.

Surely he would be questioned. Surely he would be ridiculed, looked down on. He had worked hard to gain conviction in the eyes of the Simba and the rest of the Pride; and now, though it was not (and had not been) in his direct control, the trust he was given could very well be lost.

It had been Zira's final act of planning, a backup in case the Outlanders were to fail in their attempted coup of the Pride Lands. Kovu sighed; he should have seen this coming, should have known that this was imminent. His mother may have been a bit of a brute, but she was clever, and if her hate truly was at the level it had been at, she would have taken every precaution necessary to ensure that Simba would be vanquished and the Pride Lands would be under Outlander control—even if she died before realizing her dream.

Kovu hung his head low to the ground. This was on him to rectify now. Vitani had come to him because she was scared for the possible outcome; the other former Outlanders, she said, were precisely the same way. Kovu now was as well, and cursed his ignorance—he should have noticed that a lioness was unaccounted for when they joined up at the Pride Lands.

He had never really known Jasusi—no one did. She was almost always solitary, more of an introvert than any of them had known. Often times, she did not even accompany the other lionesses on hunts or on other business. But Kovu did know one thing, and this was why Vitani came to him with her worries—Jasusi had been one of Zira's favorites.

Vitani had been, in effect, Zira's right-hand lion when she had come of age. But according to the other lionesses, though it was never explicitly stated, Jasusi had been in this position before the coming of Vitani. Not that Jasusi harbored any ill will toward Vitani—it was mentioned that she did not, for Jasusi was still very vital to Zira's success, and more loyal to her than any of the other lionesses were combined. This was chalked up to the story that Jasusi had been rescued by Zira from almost certain death when she was a cub. This was not too long after the time Nuka had been born, only furthering Zira's firm avoidance of her firstborn son. Jasusi was kept in the Outlands, where they of course later resided after their banishment from the Pride Lands. This explained Zira's long absences from Pride Rock throughout the day, furthering Nuka's solitude. Scar had approved of this. All was well in his eyes; yet another lion that could be used for combat in his name when the time came to take over the throne was always a welcome addition.

Jasusi was a scout, an emissary, a spy. Zira would often have her going on reconnaissance trips and meeting with outsiders from other parts of the Serengeti, which explained her long absences and periods (sometimes weeks at a time) during which she was never seen. Thus, it was only natural that she would do what she did in the end.

She was with them before the battle with Simba and the other Pridelanders, but not for long. Vitani witnessed her mother whispering fleetingly to Jasusi, who nodded in affirmation and slunk out of site. She had not returned for the duration of the fight and had not been seen since.

It was only natural, said Vitani, that Zira had instructed Jasusi to find help should her plan fail.

This is what frightened Vitani. She did not have the slightest idea as to where Jasusi had gone, but she did recall as a cub meeting with leaders from far off prides with her mother. Zira would occasionally speak of such leaders in the Outlands, but not much was mentioned of real interest—Vitani could not even remember any of their names. But she did know this (as did Kovu)—the Outlands had not been the only pride in Africa that disliked the Pride Lands.'

Kovu's fur bristled in the continuing breeze, which had picked up in intensity since he had first gone out to the promontory. The sky was as black it would be now; he estimated that he had been outside for quite some time. And yet, thinking about his situation had not helped him one bit.

He looked to the stars. Kiara had said that the kings of the past were always looking down on them, protecting them. But he was not a king, at least not yet—was he truly protected? He questioned if he was an exception to this; he had been born of relative darkness and had had darkness in his heart for as long as he could remember. In fact, it was still there—he could feel it. It was distant, sure, and easily suppressed… but its very existence haunted him, and he trembled at the notion that he would not be protected. Surely the kings did not care about him. He was an outsider, no matter how much he wanted to hide it.

If Jasusi was able to get to the other prides, they could very well be on their way to the Pride Lands. Someone would have to try to stop them; their numbers very well could outnumber Simba's Pride. If someone could convince them to hold back their forces, then perhaps the Pride would be spared. As Kovu had been Scar's chosen heir, perchance he could somehow convince them to back off—granted, of course, that Jasusi had not informed them of his sedition.

This was on him, or so he led himself to believe. Kovu could not bear to lose the trust of the Pride once more—for instance, if he went to Simba and confided in him this, what if Simba believed he and the other lionesses to still be carrying out their plan to take over the Pride Lands, that Zira was a mere martyr and puppet for their cause? Or if Kovu simply did not tell them and the other prides arrived… well, it could only get worse from there.

And so, Kovu decided, he would leave the Pride Lands. He would find the other prides—somehow, though he did not know their exact locations. It was the least he could do.

He grimaced. Kiara would not be happy. But Kiara, if she was told, would almost certainly want to go with him, and he could not risk her safety, not anymore.

He would tell Vitani in the morning. They could devise a plan, or at least a cover for him while he was gone. He would then depart the following evening, while the rest of the Pride was asleep. It would have to work. It was their only hope, and as the now-heir to the throne of the Pride Lands, it was the least he could do to show his loyalty.

There was a rustling behind him, from inside the cave. Kovu turned, facing Kiara for the first time that evening as she emerged from the cave. Kovu, thinking of his plan transiently, flashed a forced grin. "Hi."

"What are you still doing out here?" Kiara questioned, frowning.

"Oh, you know… it's a good night for star viewing."

"A rather cloudy one, I'd say," she nuzzled his neck. "I wish you'd come inside… it's late."

Kovu grunted and returned the affection. "Yeah… yeah, I'll be right in. Hakuna Matata, now." He flashed another grin.

Kiara smiled back, nodded, and turned to go back inside the cave. When she was about halfway there, she paused, and turned back around. "Kovu?"

"Hm?"

"If there was something wrong, you'd tell me… right?"

Kovu nodded. "I would. I tell you everything." Kiara smirked, gave a nod back and slunk back inside. Her mate glanced at the starry sky one last time, exhaled, and followed Kiara, still preoccupied about the days ahead.

END CHAPTER

**I hope this was a nice little setup into the much larger story I now plan to do. If it worked well, obviously let me know.**

**May not update for a bit; I want to try to finish up my ADJL fanfic that is one chapter away from completion. I do not, however, plan to completely abandon it. I hope I can get something else written by next week.**

**Review if you feel so inclined. Reviews always make my day!**

**Yours in fiction,**

**YFWE**


	2. Nightmare

**Thanks for my three awesome reviewers beforehand! Love you guys. ;D**

**Also got some awesome feedback from the two other sites I posted this at—once again, thank you all. I love feedback, so I was incredibly content.**

**Suppose that's all I have to say. Hope this chapter is just as pleasing!**

Wokovu: Kovu's Journey

Chapter 2: Nightmare

_He was running, as he often was doing in his more recent dreams. Around him, the Pridelands were considerably darker; the sky was black as night, though no stars were visible. He was running away from Pride Rock, back toward the Outlands…._

_Kovu glanced behind him. The fog was coming—the thick mist that was always following him in this dream, the reason for his fleeing from Pride Rock. It was nearing him; it would overtake Kovu soon._

_Other animals stood on either side of him, clearing somewhat of a path for the running lion. Their cries mirrored those that they had made not long before—he was not one of them, he was an outsider, and he would always be this way no matter what he did._

_Invisible entities that felt like twigs smacked at his face (though he was in a treeless area of the savanna), slowing him down significantly. The fog descended upon Kovu, and amid the other animals, he fell to the ground, the other animals then forming a sort-of barricade around him and the trailing fog. Kovu stared, frightened, into the translucent mist, and watched in horror as it began to change—to take a distinct shape. The vapory mass swirled around purposefully, slowly forming limbs, a tail, a head…._

_Within seconds, Kovu was staring into the face of Simba._

_The king of Pride Rock roared dauntingly, and Kovu shrunk back and winced, even though he knew that he could not be physically hurt in his dreams. He tried to speak, but found that he could not… and this terrified him more than anything._

_"Traitor," boomed Simba. "And after all I have done for you."_

_Kovu squirmed, trying desperately to avert his gaze from Simba's._

_"My Pride may very well be dead within the hour. I hold you responsible."_

_"N-n-," Kovu stuttered._

_"I should have known. I should have known that this was all some elaborate game you and the other Outlanders were playing with us. And to think I trusted you…"_

_"It wasn't me!" Kovu finally cried. "A-another lion… not me…"_

_"You expect me to believe this? You told me all lions and lionesses from the Outlands were accounted for when you joined us. Do not even try to lie to me."_

_Simba pinned Kovu to the ground, pressing his paws against the younger lion's chest. He knelt down, close to Kovu's face. "Even Kiara trusted you," he whispered. "Oh, if you could only see the state she is in."_

_Kovu gasped. "No! Kiara… she wouldn't… she knows I am innocent—"_

_"SILENCE," roared Simba, and Kovu fell quiet. "No," he growled, "not even Kiara was fooled by your trickery."_

_Simba looked up and glanced around at the surrounding creatures. "Let this be a lesson," he said, "to anyone who is exposed as a treasonous coward such as Kovu." He stared back down at the cringing lion, and raised his paw, claws extended. He let it fall—_

Kovu awoke abruptly, sensing something resting lightly on his back. He rolled over swiftly, coming face to face with Kiara. She smiled. "Wake up!" she said, laughing. "You've been asleep for a while."

Grunting, Kovu stretched and rose. "Sorry…" he said with a smirk. "I was having an… interesting dream. Guess I didn't want to wake up, eh?"

Kiara nuzzled Kovu's neck, brushing past him and beginning to exit the cave. "Just don't make it a habit, alright? Daddy wants us to accompany him on a hunt today… will you be able to?"

"Don't see why not, I guess…" affirmed Kovu, though his mind had clearly wandered to another topic as a result—he had to find Vitani before they left. "Just… give me a few, okay?"

Kiara nodded, beaming. "I'll go tell him!" she announced, taking off in the direction of the promontory. Kovu watched her go, making sure she was out of sight completely before she set off in the opposite direction out of the cave. He could only speculate where Vitani was, but he imagined that she would be in the shade of a few nearby trees up against Pride Rock.

He was right; there she was, surrounded by two other sleeping lionesses. She was lying down, though not asleep; rather, she appeared to be in a deep concentration.

Kovu stepped lightly between the quiescent lionesses, reaching Vitani and nudging her slightly. The lioness jerked faintly in surprise, rolling around to face Kovu. Without a word, she nodded, and began to saunter off toward the savanna, Kovu soon beside her.

"I take it you thought about what I told you?" Vitani asked with a hint of concern. "About Jasusi?"

"A great deal," replied Kovu. "Many sleepless nights and secluded days… haven't done much else besides think of it." He looked over at her. "What about you and the other lionesses? Has it been deliberated further among you all?"

Vitani sighed. "A bit, but I think most of us have been trying not to think about it; we're going with the hope that nothing actually happens, that Jasusi cannot find an ally for Mother's cause."

"I think it'd be best if we went on the assumption that she has or will find one. At least we'd be prepared for the worst and wouldn't get caught off guard."

Pausing beside a small oasis, Vitani bent over to drink a few swallows of water, before turning back to Kovu. "You're probably right. Do you have a plan, though?"

"Kind of," said Kovu.

"Well, it's better than what we have. What is it?"

"…I think I'm going to go try to find her."

Vitani lingered upon that for a moment, before replying, "By yourself?"

Kovu nodded. "That's the plan."

"Are you feeling okay?"

"As good as I could, I guess… why?"

"Because that's crazy!" cried Vitani. "What if she found allies of Mother's? You'd be completely outmatched! Not to mention that you don't even _know _where Jasusi ran off to!"

"I take it you don't like the plan."

"Basically," growled Vitani. "At least take me and some of the other lionesses with you… or even tell Simba! This very well may concern him, after all."

"Simba can't know," said Kovu, his eyes downcast. "I was… hoping you could keep him and the others at bay while I was gone."

"Kovu, I'm not letting you go off by yourself!"

"Please," Kovu stared into the eyes of his sister pleadingly. "This is all on me. I must go alone… Scar always said I was his heir. Maybe, if Jasusi has found allies, they would listen to me."

Vitani rolled her eyes. "Do you see in this some sort of act of undying loyalty to the Pride? Is this why you're doing this? Kovu, you don't need to prove yourself! Simba trusts you!"

"How can we be so sure? What if he thinks _we're _behind this?"

Vitani paused, and turned away. "I… I don't know. As much as I want to see he would, I'm worried about it now that you bring it up. Maybe it's because of Mother's influence…"

"Either way," Kovu rested a paw on Vitani's shoulder, "it's something I must do. Can I count on you to keep the others at bay?"

"I… guess I could." She turned back toward Kovu. "What are you going to tell Kiara?"

"I'm… not sure," said Kovu sadly. "But it can't be the truth, whatever it is—she'd want to come, and I can't risk her security."

Vitani nodded in comprehension. "You could… say that you were heading back out to the Outlands, to retrieve something useful we had forgotten."

"That would only give me a day. I'd need more than that."

"Well," said Vitani, "I've heard before of lions heading out into the extreme wilderness to 'find themselves' or however they put it. You know, a meditative retreat or something."

Kovu perked up a bit. "You know, that doesn't sound too bad in more ways than one. It definitely would suffice for a few days of searching, that's for sure." He paused momentarily before continuing. "You'd have to tell her."

"Me? Why me?"

"I'll be leaving in the middle of the night, once everyone is asleep. I won't have the opportunity to let her know, and even if I did, I think she'd still want to come with me." He grimaced. "She sure does care a lot."

"I can do that, then," said Vitani. "I'll let the other Outlander lionesses know what's happening as well… we'll hold the others off as long as we can."

"If I'm not back within a few days, expect the worst."

Vitani nodded sadly. "I understand."

"—Kovu, we're leaving!" came Kiara's voice from atop the promontory. Kovu and VItani peered up at the overlook to see Simba and Kiara standing there, Simba with an expectant look on his face.

Kovu motioned to them and turned back to his sister. "Thank you…" he said. "I can't even begin to show my gratitude."

"Eh, I've never been one for affectionate gestures anyway," said Vitani with a wink. "Go on and try to enjoy your time with her, alright?"

Kovu forced a grin. "I'll try." He nodded one last time and bounded back up the rock, to where Simba and Kiara were waiting keenly.

At least one phase, he thought to himself, had gone well. Now, all he could do was wait and, as Vitani had said, try to enjoy what could be his final hours with Kiara.

END CHAPTER

**Firstly, before I get any comments concerning it, I'm aware that dream-Simba was pretty much a total bastardization of the real Simba. It was just a dream, not really how Simba may have reacted in real life—at least, I think so. **

**So yeah, I had intended on finishing this chapter a little later on, but this works too—besides, I need sleep very badly. **

**Feedback appreciated! Thanks for reading, my dear readers.**

**Yours in fiction,**

**YFWE**


	3. Hunters

**I took way too long to update this. But I digress.**

**Wokovu: Kovu's Journey**

**Chapter 3: Hunters**

It was a magnificent day for a hunt.

The bright orange sun had risen to a spot directly over the Serengeti, its warm rays gloriously announcing midday to all who would take notice. There was only a slight breeze, enough to escape the raw heat that would've ascended from the ground otherwise. Impermanent flocks of birds weaved around and about, to and fro, one second at the apex of the sky and hidden in the intense light of the sun, and swooping low over the calm oasis waters without missing a beat.

Simba grinned, his teeth glinting in the sun's beams. He turned to Kiara, who returned the affection eagerly. Kovu slunk beside her, his gaze lowered to the ground, pretending to take vivid interest in the swarms of ant colonies that scattered below his paws, upset at the intrusion by these three kingly beasts but at the same time grateful for the momentary shade they received on behalf of the passing lions.

They had been walking for a while; Pride Rock was now simply just another part of the scenery, albeit a very large part. Still, no one had spoken yet, and Kovu secretly wished someone would—it would provide his mind a diversion from the internal struggles he was experiencing.

_Some hunt this'll be_, Kovu thought to himself. _Can't even enjoy it like I should. I should never have—_

Finally, Simba spoke. "So, Kovu… I take it you've never hunted on these grounds before?"

"Wha?" Kovu looked up suddenly, eyes blinking rapidly for a few moments as if he was snapping out of a long trance, which garnered him a thoughtful look from Kiara. "Oh! Uh… erm… yeah, never. First time," he added with a weak grin.

Simba eyed him for a few moments, his gaze piercing into Kovu as if searching him, and for a brief moment Kovu was sure that he had been discovered, that he would be unable to delay telling Simba of the danger he was in. But to his relief, Simba's gaze softened, his mouth upturned into a prideful grin. "Well, I'd say you're in for a real treat. The conditions are near-perfect today, and the Pride Lands stretch over easily the most abundant parts of the land. Sometimes I have to restrain myself from coming out here more often!"

Kovu shot him a half-amused grin, which Kiara once again noticed. It did not seem to faze Simba, however, who saw it as a brilliant opportunity to launch into a long dialogue concerning the history of the grounds they had set foot upon. Apparently, Kiara had already heard this speech numerous times, for instead of taking interest, she stalked over to Kovu's left side and whispered dully, "Okay, what's the matter?"

Kovu kept his gaze centered toward Simba and spoke out of the corner of his mouth, "What do you mean? Shouldn't we be listening to—"

"You've been acting really funny since last night, don't think I haven't noticed. Something's on your mind. Don't lie to me."

"I told you, it's nothing," replied Kovu through gritted teeth.

"Kovu…"

A thought finally came to Kovu, and without missing a beat he said, "It's just nerves, okay?"

"Nerves?" asked Kiara bemusedly. "What do you—"

"Kiara, I'm the heir to the throne of Pride Rock, I wasn't until just recently, and I'm out hunting with my future father-in-law. How do you expect me to fee? …gleeful?"

"Are you two even listening?!" Simba had paused, having noticed that the two young lions were conversing on the side during the grand speech his father (and his father's father, ad infinitum) had once given to him seasons before concerning the great 'Circle of Life' they all were a part of. Kiara sauntered back to her original spot on Kovu's right, nearer her father. "Sorry, daddy," she said quickly, shooting an unconvinced stare at Kovu that she made sure he saw, before turning an ear toward the king of the Pride Lands, who curtly continued with his story. Kovu could not help but feel that his little white lie had not fooled his mate, and so as Simba's story continued, he could not help but daydream once again, drifting into a state of concentration as he contemplated the events ahead.

_Great, now Kiara suspects something's up, _he thought. _But I can't tell her what's wrong, _especially_ with Simba here. I just hope Vitani can end up holding her at bay tomorrow._

He had originally looked forward to this hunt, it being the final, precious hours he would be able to spend with Kiara before his departure into the great unknown of the Serengeti. And now… even something as simple as happiness with his love had become damaged by his inability to mask the guilt he was feeling in full force.

Yeah, a magnificent day for a hunt indeed.

xXxXxXx

At long last, the lioness had reached the edge of the Pride Lands, already having traveled far past the boundaries of the Outlands. No one _ever _came out this far from the Pride Lands; the lioness knew this quite well. Finally, at long last, she was delving into far more welcoming territory rather than that infernal stink that followed one wherever and whenever one was "where the light touches." Where the light touches. What a joke, said the lioness named Jasusi.

The terrain had become far rockier, which suited the sleek lioness perfectly. She leapt from rock to rock, her pale, matted fur brushing against the sides of overly large boulders as she performed acrobatic bounds across the rough terrain, finally pausing at the base of a large, mountain-like rock structure. She grinned, gazing up at the imposing edifice before ambling to the side, darting around the rock as if she were running some sort of time trial.

Jasusi slowed her pace a few moments later, eyes transfixed ahead of her. _Yes… yes, here we are. This is the place._

She had reached a gigantic split in the mountain. While the two sides still rose up to a towering height, a gorge had fashioned itself between these two apexes. It was a dark place; rarely did the sun shine straight into the gorge. A singular patch of grass and trees sat next to a central oasis of water, but otherwise the place was a barren wasteland of jutting rock.

Jasusi's eyes narrowed. Far down into the gorge and into one of the towering, mountainous walls was a small hole that the lioness took to be the entrance of a cave. And just as she had expected, a tiny figure was sprawled just inside the opening—a lion, Jasusi had no doubt. She smiled. The place had been found.

A scraggly-looking vulture was grounded nearby, scanning the dusty grounds for a source of food. Jasusi spotted the bird and, grinning, sauntered over to the animal. "Good day, my feathered friend," the lioness said slyly.

The vulture, without even looking up at the approaching lioness, replied, "yeah, yeah, wha' th' heck d'you wan'? Y'see I'm busy here?"

"Ah, yes… busy… quite fascinating," said Jasusi, adding a pronounced yawn. "Right. Do me a favor, my friend, won't you?" She eyed the vulture, who continued to scuttle about.

"Sorry, ain't interested," retorted the bird, who stretched his wings, as if about to take flight. "Don' mess with th' lions an' they don' mess with me. Ev'ry animal fer his or herself out here, so why don' you—"

The bird was suddenly knocked to the ground, a clawed paw against his throat, holding him in place. The vulture began to choke and cough, his eyes staring up pleadingly at the lioness hovering above him.

Jasusi leaned her head down low, to a spot conspicuously close to the bird's struggling head. "Now," the lioness breathed, "I don't believe I gave you a choice in the matter, did I? Didn't say please." She got even closer to the bird's face, her hot breath bearing down on him. "I want you," she began, "to go down to that cave of lions, the Matapeli, and deliver to them a little message for me. Could you do that, my friend? I see you nodding… see, this isn't so hard, is it? I want you to tell the Matapeli that I bring a message from Zira, of the Outlands. They will know who Zira is, ah yes."

She looked up for a moment, thoughtful; the bird continued to struggle and gasp beneath her. "Hmmm… yes, tell them to meet me here, unless they are so kind as to welcome me into their humble abode. I have rather urgent news for them. Yes, I think that will be all." The lioness began to loosen her grip on the vulture's neck, allowing the bird to breathe once more. He coughed and gasped stridently, brushing himself off before giving the lioness a look of utmost fear. He turned toward the gorge, preparing himself to fly to the distant cave. But before he could, a large paw came down on his back, pinning him to the ground.

"Oh… and one more thing," added Jasusi, once again lowering herself to the bird's struggling head once more. "Tell them," she grinned, teeth bared, "it concerns _Simba_."

xXxXxXx

Kovu was relieved when they returned to Pride Rock later that day, for the hunt was finally over and he could finally, somehow, avoid the accusing stares Kiara would throw in his general direction every so often. Their hunt had certainly been successful; Kiara herself had taken down at least seven antelope, soundly outdoing Kovu's mere three. But it was food nonetheless; the Pride would eat well that night.

The enticement of food provided a distraction unlike any other for the young lion, for when living creatures are presented with food of any type, especially the lions of Pride Rock, nothing else matters. Kovu laid beside Vitani, explaining to her the events of the hunt that day and the implications they might have on Kiara and her disposition to try to know what Kovu was up to.

"That'll make it harder," said Vitani, digging into an antelope's leg. "But I think I can hold her off."

"You think?"

Vitani laughed. "Look, obviously she knows something's not right with you, but if I tell her that you're off 'finding yourself' or whatever your excuse is going to be, is that really going to raise any problems for her? I mean, aside from the obvious," she added through a mouthful of antelope.

"I just hope you know what you're doing…" said Kovu with a sigh, glancing across the cave at Kiara, who was nestled near her mother, picking at the ribcage of another freshly-killed antelope. "I can't have her follow me. I just can't."

"You're leaving tonight, then?"

"Once everyone's asleep."

"Good, good," murmured Vitani. She got to her feet. "I'll need to let the Outlander lionesses know the plan, then. So if I don't see you…" for a moment there was a look of concern in her gaze, but it quickly turned to a look of approval, "give 'em hell."

The evening slowly wore down. Stuffed from a rather hearty meal, the best one they had had in weeks, the lions had begun to turn in for the evening, taking their places along the rocky walls of the cave, one by one drifting off to sleep. Kovu took his place next to Kiara, shooting her a weak grin as he did so. The lioness did nothing to acknowledge this, turning on her back to where she was facing away from her mate. Kovu let out a small sigh, heaving himself to the ground. _It has to be this way_, he thought. _I gotta remember that. It has to be this way._

Within an hour, all had fallen asleep but Kovu. Feeling blessed for having chosen a sleeping spot so close to the mouth of the cave and away from obstacles in the form of other sleeping lions, Kovu slowly arose, taking great care as to not make a sound. How lucky he was that he was not on the best terms with Kiara, he reflected, for she had not fallen asleep against him as she so often had before. Tonight, she would not even notice his sudden departure.

Kovu crept to the mouth of the cave, as quiet as a four hundred pound, young adult lion could be. Finally, he was out into the night, and he sped up a bit, though still making sure he did not make any dim-witted mistakes. He bounded down the side of Pride Rock and out onto the grounds, at long last out of earshot of the rest of the Pride. It was a cool evening; the moon was out, though its light was obstructed by a few unsystematic clouds every so often. Everything was quiet, serene and peaceful. Kovu gave a great sigh of longing. He would miss these nights, the stolen hours of the evening walking with Kiara, gazing up at the night sky and its unending star formations. Oh, how he missed them already. For a fleeting moment, he had the urge to run back to Pride Rock, to safety, to Kiara. But the young lion shook this off soundly.

There would be no more of these nights for him, for Kiara or for anyone else at Pride Rock if he didn't succeed. He had to find Jasusi, had to put an end to whatever plan his mother had enacted before her death. The fate of many depended upon his success or his failure. It had to be done.

As the lion walked further and further into the night, away from Pride Rock, he was unaware of a pair of eyes watching him from a faraway baobab tree. From inside his tree home, the shaman Rafiki watched Kovu slink across the Pride Lands, and at a very late hour. This certainly puzzled Rafiki; why would the young lion do such a thing? He would have to consult with the old Kings.

END CHAPTER

**Let's hope for a quicker update for next time then, shall we? Hope anyone who is reading this enjoyed it, nonetheless! Thanks for the read!**

**~YFWE**


	4. Koko and Bidii

**New chapter, yay! Couple new fun little plot additions goin' on in here. A few new characters as well. I'm happy with it overall. Hopefully y'all will be too!**

**Wokovu: Kovu's Journey**

**Chapter 4: Koko and Bidii**

The light of the moon shimmered on the surface of the tiny pool of water, a calming and placid complement to the wasteland of rock and dirt that surrounded it. It was midnight, and the large gorge was nearly silent, save for the occasional chirrup of a miniscule insect.

A flickering flame burned nearby, barely inside the small cave of the Matapeli. The glow it emitted was dim, and yet sufficient. The outlines of many lions and lionesses were visible, though only their heads could be clearly viewed. Close by, trapped in the skeleton of a long-dead zebra, was a dejected-looking vulture, its gaze to the ground. The lioness Jasusi reclined nearby, her tail lazily brushing against the skeleton every so often.

Furthest into the cave sat an elderly lion, his faded brown mane matted and patchy. His eyes were implanted on Jasusi, as if studying the outsider. Jasusi returned the stare curtly, a slight smirk spread across her muzzle.

"So," spoke the lion finally. "So. First, the noble lion and my close friend, Scar, was murdered…." He stood, his left hind leg wobbling as he did so, and began to stalk around the small flame. "…and now you're telling me that his gracious mate and devoted adherent—and my beloved sister—Zira… is now dead too?"

"That's right," Jasusi said succinctly. "I was instructed to watch from afar in case the worst occurred and to find help if it did. Which brings me to your humble abode, Katili, my friend."

Katili grunted, stealing a long glance out the cave's mouth and at the glimmering oasis water. He hung his head low, what was left of his mane falling down over his eyes. "You claim Simba is responsible for Zira's death?"

"Him and his wretched daughter. Pity they'll let anyone reproduce these days."

"…and you want the Matapeli to help retake the Pride Lands…"

Jasusi nodded. "Don't act like you don't want it either. Simba's ancestors banished yours long ago. You have as much a right to those lands as he does."

There was a glint in Katili's eye as he turned to Jasusi. "It's tempting," he said, sauntering over to the lioness, "ah, is it tempting. Especially given… well, the legend."

The lioness's ears perked up immediately. "The legend, you say? Whatever might you be referring to, my dear Katili?"

Katili grinned showily. "Ah, of course, you wouldn't know of such a thing. 'Twas my ancestors who passed the story down to their children, and then the same to their own children, and so forth. They told of an object of unimaginable power, blessed by the great shaman Mlezi, that is kept in the Pride Lands. It has been lost for many, many seasons, ever since the good shaman's death. Whoever controls it is granted the power of the kings."

"Katili, my friend, you have intrigued me," said Jasusi. "Please, please, do tell me more."

"With pleasure."

xXxXxXx

Pride Rock was barely visible against the night sky now. Kovu had been walking for miles in the dead of the evening, the only stirring creature for as far as the eye could see. Moonlight provided some luminosity that evening, though the grounds were still mostly jet black and comatose. Kovu did not mind this, of course. The less to see him leave, the better.

Already he was tired, though he could not stop and rest, of course, as enticing as the thought was. Jasusi could be anywhere at that point… she could even be on the way back to the Pride Lands with an entire army of lions poised to kill. Rest was not an option.

Kovu leapt up the rocks to the gorge into which his mother had fallen to her death. He thought fleetingly of her, of the hatred that had consumed her and the envy that ultimately killed her, as well as of the affection she had shown him when he was a cub. There were deep memories here; he could spend hours reminiscing here by the gorge and nearby, in the Outlands. But there was no time for that. He found, instead, the spot Vitani had reported seeing Jasusi run off before the fight. It was just on the other side of the gorge. Kovu did not need to cross right now necessarily, as long as he stayed true to the direction Jasusi had gone in.

The ground leveled out, and soon Kovu was past the gorge, once again treading on the dirt terrain, off into areas of the Pride Lands he had yet to even set paw in. His only hope was that Jasusi, when she had run off, had continued in that direction, else he was in deep, deep trouble.

_I have no idea where I'm going_, the young lion thought, staring dejectedly at the ground. After another few minutes of walking, he finally paused underneath a tree, sighing and slumping to the ground. "I can't do this," he said softly. "I'm gonna be completely lost… I may never even find my way back…"

This much was true. Having stepped into a land so far away from his homelands, from the places he'd known his entire life, there was almost no way he would be able to find his way back if he went further. What if he ended up getting so far off Jasusi's track that she _passed _him on her way to the Pride Lands? What if he returned to the Pride Lands, finally, to find that the Pride had already been attacked? What if he came back and found that Simba and Kiara… were….

This was on Kovu to rectify. The problem was, the lion was finding, that the likelihood of him even _finding _Jasusi—let alone stopping her—was diminishing with each passing second.

A tear rolled down Kovu's cheek. He looked to the sky, searching the stars, as if the answers to his problems were there. Internally, he wished that he, like Rafiki, could speak to the supposed "great kings of the past"… if they would even talk to them. _Yeah, right_, Kovu shook off this notion. _Like they'd talk to me. I'm not a king, I'm not worthy. Look at the mess I've gotten us into…_

There was a rustling nearby; Kovu jumped up, alert and ready to act, his heart pounding against his chest. "Who's there?" he called out into the night. His eyes darted around wildly, his pulse hammering in his head. "Show yourself!" he called.

Nearby, Kovu could clearly hear voices. A hissing noise, like someone trying to shush another, was noticeable, and a quick whisper could be heard shortly after.

"I said," called Kovu again, hints of impatience in his trembling, yet stern voice, "show yourself!" The hushed voices continued, but no figures did appear in the shadows.

Kovu began to creep forward, taking care as to not make a sound. A large boulder was nearby, a few paces into the darkness. The whispers seemed to be coming from there.

Without giving another warning, Kovu leapt atop the boulder, a guttural growl emitting from his throat, his features twisted into an imposing snarl. Within moments, however, his face softened, soon to the point where his mouth had downturned into a grimace.

Two small creatures lay cowering in front of him, gripping each other tightly. A slight whine was coming from one of the small animals—it was the larger of the two, and had a long tail and canine-like ears. The smaller creature was largely hidden from view by its companion, who had its leg wrapped firmly around it.

Kovu realized he was looking down at an African wild dog—and a young one at that, judging by its size—and another smaller creature. He sighed. They were more frightened of him than he was of them, no doubt—certainly no threat to his safety. "Hey, hey, heeey," he said calmly, "I'm not gonna hurt you guys. It's okay, it's okay…"

The dog's ears picked up slightly. It raised its head to look up at the towering lion with shining hazel eyes. It moved its paw, revealing the other creature, a plump little hyrax, which quickly darted behind its cohort.

Kovu forced a grin. "Sorry to get all jumpy there. Thought you guys might've been… something else."

The dog shrugged. "Y-yeah, it happens," it—a female, Kovu discovered upon hearing its voice—stuttered. "We're not out t-to cause any t-trouble or anything, sir. We were just passing through…"

"It's fine," Kovu grinned warmly and in relief. "I'm just passing through myself. My name's Kovu. I come from Pride Rock," he jerked his head back behind him, in the direction of the stone edifice.

"Koko," the dog replied. "I'm Koko. This is Bidii. We're… we're out on our own…"

"Why's that?" asked Kovu.

Koko looked down dejectedly. "I don't wanna talk about it…"

Kovu frowned. "I'm sorry," he breathed. He felt bad for asking, but he _was _curious; Koko was not a pup by any means, but she was certainly nowhere near an adult.

The hyrax, Bidii, began to whisper quickly from behind Koko, who cocked her head toward to the side to better hear the animal. She nodded, seeming to agree with whatever Bidii had said, and turned back to Kovu. "S-sir… I'm sorry to ask but… you're not following one of your kind, are you?"

A wave of realization hit Kovu, and he was taken slightly aback. "Why… y-yes, I am, in fact. Why? Have you seen someone?!" he asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, a few hours ago!" Bidii the hyrax finally stepped out from behind Koko. "Yeah, we saw one, didn't we, Koko? A lioness! A lioness passed through here not too long ago, just before sunset, didn't she, Koko, didn't she? Yeah, a lioness!" Bidii spoke quickly, his words all jumbled and slurred into each other. Koko glanced up at Kovu and simply shrugged and nodded.

Kovu's eyes narrowed. "Jasusi." He stared off into the distance. She had come this way; he was on the right path.

"K-kovu?" came Koko's voice.

"Yeah?"

"You're tracking that lioness, a-aren't you?"

"That's right."

Koko appeared fidgety. "I don't mean to stick my nose into other's business, but… d'you think you'd need help tracking her?"

Kovu considered this for a moment. "Depends. Do you know the area well?"

"Been travelling in it for a couple days… grew up a little ways away… so yeah. Bidii here knows a bit, too."

_They could prove useful_, Kovu thought. _At least until I find Jasusi… could get ugly… they're young… wouldn't want them in danger…._

"Promise me one thing," said Kovu.

"Yeah?" Koko and Bidii said in unison.

"If I tell you to run… promise me you will, okay? No matter the circumstances."

"Sure, sir… though I don't see why… is the lioness your enemy?" Koko asked with uncertainty.

"Yeah, your enemy?" added Bidii. "Do you two hate each other, Kovu, sir, do you? Are you going to fight? Are you—"

"I'll explain later," smirked Kovu as he stared off into the distance. "Koko, since you know this place, mind picking up Jas—I mean, the lioness's scent?"

"Yeah, for sure!" the wild dog said eagerly, lowering her snout to the ground. And off she went, stalking the dusty earth as Kovu and Bibii followed close behind. Kovu stifled a yawn, recalling once more his lack of sleep. However, things were finally looking a little more positive—or at least as positive as it was going to get.

Kovu was finally on Jasusi's trail. Now it was a matter of finding her.

**END CHAPTER**

**I ended that a lot earlier than I expected, but I wanted to get something out, so here we are. The scene I had planned will be in the next chapter, no doubt about it. Anyway, I'm starting to add a few more plot developments now… slightly exciting, I guess. I'm gonna have to do a lot of thinking on what I'm going to do next, but I'm hoping to have something up soon.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~YFWE**


	5. Morning

**Thanks for the feedback, everyone! Hope you'll enjoy this here chapter. C:**

**Wokovu: Kovu's Journey**

**Chapter 5: Morning**

Kiara dashed out from the cave atop Pride Rock, onto the promontory, stopping finally at the edge of the cliff, looking out into the breaking dawn. A clutter of varied creatures had begun to stir in the faint light of early morning, none pausing to look up at the seemingly-distressed lioness that stood far above them.

Simba emerged from the cave seconds later, followed by the rest of the Pride. He had a stern look on his face, a far cry from his daughter, whose countenance was downturned in fear and dismay as she gazed out toward the horizon. Kiara turned back to her father, bewildered and unable to say a word, an expectant look spread across her face. The king did not stare back. His gaze had found Vitani, who had meandered to a spot beside the king.

"You swear you speak the truth, then?" Simba asked finally, stealing a quick look Vitani out of the corner of his eye. Vitani nodded tersely.

"No!" Kiara leapt from the edge of the promontory, back to her father and the rest of the Pride. "It's not true! It can't be."

Vitani took a step forward. "You callin' me a liar?"

"Kovu wouldn't just _leave_ without telling me!" snapped Kiara. With a hushed voice, she added, "he tells me everything."

"Obviously not everything since you don't know _the least_ of what is going on in my brother's head right now. Get that through your head and give him some space!"

"Enough!" Simba roared. The two lionesses flinched and cowered back, Vitani muttering a quick "sorry" before rejoining the other lionesses. Kiara remained where she stood.

Simba continued, "Kiara… I know how you must feel." There was a hint of regret in his eyes. "But I also must respect what Kovu has decided, as should the rest of us. I know myself that time spent away to find yourself can work wonders—" he added.

"But daddy—" Kiara started.

"—so if Kovu needs some time off to find himself, then so be it. Besides," he added with a grin, "what's there to do around here right now anyway?"

"Gee, I dunno, besides spend time with me?" Simba's daughter was obviously still irate about the situation.

"Mind your father, Kiara!" Nala stepped out from the crowd of lionesses and to Simba's side.

"It's not fair!"

Kiara ran past her parents and the other lions, down the side of Pride Rock, and off into the surrounding grounds. "Kiara!" Simba had started to follow her, but Nala sided in front of her mate, stopping him from moving further. "Let her go," she mused.

The other lionesses sidled back into the cave. The sun had finally risen to the point where it was fully visible, and the sky had finally begun to take on its familiar blue tint. It was a cloudless morning. No breeze. Already the deep chasm of the cave seemed inviting, given how warm it was promising to be.

"I don't get it," Simba ambled to the edge of the promontory, looking over the bustling activity of morning in the savanna. "She seems angry at _me_ over this." He turned to Nala, clearly puzzled. "What did _I _do?"

Nala smiled warmly, brushing her head against her mate's mane. "You did nothing. It's just… well, you know how our daughter can get."

"I guess," said Simba through gritted teeth. He paused for a few moments, staring into the sky. "I gotta say, though… Nala, have you noticed Kovu acting… odd lately?"

Laughing, Nala replied, "We knew coming in that Kovu would much rather keep to himself than mingle with the rest of us, except for Kiara, of course. The boy rarely talks to me. If he's acting weird, I would be one of the last to know."

"I know that. Still… he seemed distant yesterday during our hunt. Kiara's a great hunter, don't get me wrong, but she doubled Kovu's take. And they were whispering about something at first, and Kiara ignored him for the rest of the hunt. Uncharacteristic, if you ask me."

"Hmm," mused Nala. "Maybe you're right. We can only hope that whatever Kovu's problems are, he can solve them off by himself. Wherever he's going…."

Simba nodded and, without another word, strode away from Nala. He bounded down the side of Pride Rock, in the direction of where Kiara had run off. He would need to find her eventually, though perhaps she would return under her own conscience anyway. Nonetheless, Kiara needed to see that this was not his fault. For it had not been, right? There had been nothing he could do to stop Kovu going… right?

Wherever Kovu was then, Simba merely hoped that he knew where he was going and what he was doing, and that he knew his way back. He knew his daughter, and he knew that her restlessness would be unbearable eventually. And he most certainly could not risk her running off after the boy. He would not allow it.

But what could be Kovu's problem? Had the death of his mother hit him harder than the lion had first given off?

Simba would have to consult with Rafiki about this.

xXxXxXx

The dirt ground felt warm under Kovu's paws, an inviting addition to the morning considering the chilly night he had previously endured. A family of birds had taken to flying directly above him, as if providing a sort-of welcoming committee for the young lion; or, perhaps they were attempting to guide him.

Whatever their reasons for circling overhead, whether it was mere coincidence or not, Kovu certainly did not mind, for in that day and age, any company was good company. At least for the time being.

Not that Kovu was alone anyway. As the lion sauntered tenaciously through the Serengeti, the two much smaller creatures known as Koko and Bidii lumbered in front of him, the tinier Bidii having taken up a spot riding on Koko's back. The African wild dog still had her nose near the ground, as she continued to follow the lioness known as Jasusi's scent.

Slowly but surely, however, the pace the trio had set at first just hours before had considerably lessened. This was only natural; Kovu had not had any sleep in nearly a day now, and he assumed the same about Koko and Bidii.

Koko stopped suddenly, throwing her head back in a pronounced yawn. Kovu, having been focused on the birds overhead, did not see this, and walked right onto Koko's tail. The wild dog yelped in pain, rolling to her side, the hyrax Bidii falling off her back and onto the ground. "Sorry!" Kovu cried jumping off Koko's tail. "I wasn't… paying attention."

"N-n-no," the wild dog stood and examined her tail. "My f-fault, sir. I shouldn't have y-y-yaaaawned." The thought of yawning had once again brought Koko into another yawn herself.

"Seriously, Koko, you can stop calling me sir. I'm probably not that much older than you."

"Yes, s—I mean, Kovu," Koko grinned sheepishly. "I'm just… so tired…"

Kovu sighed. "I am too. But we can't stop… I have to catch that lioness. Do you understand?"

Koko nodded, though her eyelids were half-closed. "F-find the lioness. Right. Yeeeaaaaaah," she yawned again.

The talk of sleep had seemingly triggered something in Kovu, as he stifled a yawn himself. He looked in the distance. The sun had barely risen, so it was still early in the morning. Could they possibly spare a few hours for rest? If they awakened around midday, they would be able to travel until the early morning the next day, and if Jasusi was resting in the evening, then surely they would have a chance to catch her. After all, as far as Kovu knew, Jasusi was not aware that she had been spotted taking off. The lioness may have had no idea she was being trailed, and if this was the case, she would not be in any rush.

"You know," Kovu started again, "a short rest would not be bad. You guys are obviously tired, and I won't be able to travel much longer without sleep. What do you say?"

"That sounds like a great idea!" grinned Koko weakly. "Bidii hasn't said anything to me in a while now… you know he's about to pass out when he gets to that point since he's pretty much talking my ears off any other time."

They looked over. Bidii had fallen asleep in the exact spot he had rolled to when he had fallen off of Koko's back.

"I guess that settles that," Kovu held back a laugh at the snoring hyrax, whose mouth was hanging open lazily, a small pool of drool collecting on the ground. "We'll rest. But just for a few hours, okay? I think we've made great progress so far, and I don't wanna lose too much to the lioness I'm following. Understand?"

Koko nodded sleepily. "K-kovu?"

"Yeah?"

"J-just out of curiosity… you said you'd explain… why you're followin' this lioness…"

"And I will," Kovu grinned, "when we're a little more awake. Let's find a nice place to stop for now, okay?"

Kovu stared off into the distance. On the horizon, there was a large mountain-like structure of rock, which appeared to be split down the middle. A small grouping of trees stood nearby, and from Kovu's vantage point it was obvious that the area was particularly abundant with shade. He looked back down at Koko and nodded in its direction. The wild dog trotted over to the still-sleeping Bidii. She grabbed the hyrax in her teeth and flung him on her back with surprising strength.

The grouping of trees was only a short way away. Once they were within the gracious shade of the trees, Koko slowly lowered her back to the ground, rolling Bidii off gently. The hyrax awoke for a moment. Yawning, he sidled up next to Koko, rubbing against and into her spotted fur. The wild dog, eyes narrowed and heavy with sleep, raised her arm and covered the tiny hyrax with her foreleg, her paw covering Bidii's face. She lowered her head, resting it on her own leg, and seemed, too, to drift off to sleep.

Kovu finally lay down nearby, against one of the trees. He glanced over at the young, sleeping animals and smiled. Koko had been an enormous help thus far. Not that he could not have tracked Jasusi's scent on his own, but Koko had been a great help in informing Kovu about the area, and it had given Kovu more time to ponder what he would do once he finally met Jasusi.

And yet, Kovu still worried whether bringing them along had been a good idea. For what would happen when he did finally meet Jasusi? What if there were other lions with her? What if… what if he was leading Koko and Bidii to their deaths?

A little ways away, Koko stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she turned around to find Kovu. She saw him, and through slitted eyes, said in a tiny voice, "K-kovu… do you mind… lying next to me? J-just in case, you know…"

Grinning, Kovu stood and promenaded over to Koko and the sleeping Bidii. He lay down next to her, his large body encompassing hers like the sea against the shore. The small dog snuggled up against him, burrowing into his brown fur, and was still again. Kovu laid his head on his paws, smiling, and closed his eyes, allowing the calming feeling of sleep wash over him.

xXxXxXx

Jasusi squinted in the bright sunlight, exiting the cave for the first time that morning. She turned her head, her paw patting the head of the vulture that had led her there. "We'll be off now, then, Katili!" she called back into the cave. "My warmest regards. Thank you for the riveting story, my friend."

"Fare thee well, Jasusi!" came Katili's voice from the edge of the cave. "Do tell me you'll visit again sometime… perhaps not on such short notice?"

"I will return when the time has come for us to descend upon the Pride Lands, which, if I have understood correctly, you will be along for the journey?"

"Anything for you, love." Katili's fanged grin was barely visible in the shadows of the cave.

Jasusi nodded curtly. "Until then." And she stalked away, the vulture at her side glancing back pleadingly at the cave of the Matapeli. With a quick push with her foreleg, the vulture was thrust ahead of Jasusi. "Forgive me, my friend," she said. "I want you where I can see you."

"You don' need me. I've been alla th' use I could be for you, haven' I? Why don' you jus' let me go?"

"No need to be hasty, my feathered friend," Jasusi glared at the vulture. "Who knows if I'll need you for something else?"

They had reached the edge of the gorge. The vulture groaned, and turned on the spot, facing Jasusi. "Sorry," he said. "I ain' waitin' around no more. You lions are all th' same… you'll eat me when you get th' chance."

"Why, I wouldn't dream of it," said Jasusi all-too-lazily.

"Whatever. I got stuff to do. You can go do whatever th' hell you need to do with th' Pride Lands or wherever th' hell you're goin'. But leave me out of it."

"Go, then."

The vulture blinked. "Y'serious?"

Jasusi merely shrugged.

The vulture eyed Jasusi suspiciously, but quickly decided that this was his chance to escape. He once again turned on the spot, wings outstretched, and flapped swiftly, lifting off into the air.

Having flown a mere few feet, the vulture was snatched out of the air, extraordinarily powerful jaws closing around his throat. With a sickening crunch, the bird was wrenched to the ground, bones snapping in the forcefulness of the blow.

Blood swam in the vulture's eyes. He squinted, seeing the lioness halted above him.

Jasusi licked her blood-covered lips, her paws finding their way to the vulture's stocky neck.

"You could have been quite useful," murmured Jasusi. "I regret this."

And she broke the bird's neck.

**END CHAPTER**

**Ewwwwwwww, violence.**

**Alrighty, I've got stuff I have to go do, so I'll make this short. Thanks for reading, whoever is out there! Reviews are always wonderful if you'd be so kind. I will attempt to have a quicker update here next time. I finally have a storyline down, so I think that might be a possibility.**

**~YFWE**


	6. The Great Kings

**Be forewarned—this isn't the most exciting chapter in the world. I apologize in advance.**

**Wokovu: Kovu's Journey**

**Chapter 6: The Great Kings**

The breezeless afternoon that had descended upon the Pride Lands irked Rafiki slightly. Already it had been a nearly unbearable summer due to the scorching heat and an ill-timed drought; even his baobab tree home had begun to exhibit slight fatigue, its normally green leaves beginning to turn a dull brown.

The discomfort—thank the Kings—did not interfere with his shamanistic duties, though. Already that day, Rafiki had mediated a disagreement on the northern border between two families of hippos (Simba ,more recently, had allowed him this duty, and he felt that he was hardly anything less than a natural at it), had taken his routine stroll in the grounds around his home and down to the water hole, and had even fashioned a nice new pouch to fasten about his walking stick. What was more, he had managed the talk with the Great Kings he had planned on having after the previous evening's sighting of Kovu alone in the savanna.

Their talk had been an interesting one.

The mandrill searched his tree home fervently. He found his walking stick in the corner, with the spares, and snatched it up with ninja-like agility. Rafiki took great care, as he always did, to be sure that all was right with his stick—mainly, that the pouch and its contents were still present and accounted for. It was essential that he did not ever lose this pouch; it was very significant and meaningful to the great shaman.

He had not originally planned on leaving the baobab again that day—he had accomplished much, and he was rather tired; it would be a good day to turn in early. However, his talk with the Kings had altered this plan, albeit slightly. Rafiki would meet with Simba, let him know what the Kings had confided in him, and receive in turn the Lion King's opinion on the matter. Perhaps, Rafiki hoped, he would be in bed before sundown if all went well.

Rafiki scaled down the tree, landing lightly on the grassy base of the baobab. He did not have to move much further, however, for as the mandrill turned to look at the distant Pride Rock, he saw the very lion he wished to meet coming down the path toward him. Rafiki smiled toothily, setting off to meet the approaching Simba halfway. The lion was in no hurry, it seemed—which, Rafiki thought, was generally good news—but had a look to him that suggested something was on his mind, that this was no leisure visit the king was paying to the shaman.

The hornbill Zazu flew slightly ahead of Simba, soaring amidst the trees, his brilliant blue feathers trembling and bristling with the currents of air. Spotting Rafiki, he flew low to the ground, finally coming to rest at a spot on the ground in front of the shaman. Zazu, grinning, bowed low. "Afternoon, Rafiki. Presenting the King of—"

"Quiet, Zazu," Simba grimaced. "Hey, Rafiki."

"My King," said Rafiki, with an added wink.

"I was just coming to see you about something…"

"Ah, what a coincidence, no? I was just doing de same."

Simba's eyes widened. "Really? Okay, you first, then."

"I am sure whatever you have to say is much more important," said Rafiki. "Go ahead."

"No, I insist."

"And I the same."

"Will one of you just say something already?!" cried Zazu finally, causing Simba to jump. "My word…"

Simba paused, stealing a sideways glance at the hornbill. "Well…" he started, "it's about Kovu."

"Ah, interesting. Dis is de subject of my concern as well," Rafiki said. Zazu sighed noticeably, rolling his eyes.

"You know he's gone, then?" asked Simba.

"Saw the young lion late last evening by himself. Thought it was odd dat Kovu was out so late and alone to boot."

"Well, Vitani claims that this was premeditated. Said that Kovu had gone off to find himself. He'd been acting kinda strange since the battle anyway, so in a way it wasn't that surprising. Still, though… I'm worried about him," said Simba. "Like… maybe Zira dying affected him more than he gave off originally." He looked up at Rafiki. "What do you think?"

"It is possible, my King," Rafiki replied thoughtfully. "No matter how evil Zira became, she was still Kovu's mother. She raised him, put shelter over his head. It would not be surprising."

"So you think it's just that?"

"Dat I cannot be sure about," said Rafiki. "If you are done, you will be interested to hear what ol' Rafiki was coming to tell you, methinks."

Simba nodded. "Please."

"Well," started Rafiki, "as I said, I saw the lion leaving Pride Rock last evening. I was curious as to why he was leaving and where he was going, so I decided I would consult with the Kings in the morning."

"Good idea. What'd they say?" Simba asked.

Rafiki sighed. "A lot of nothing. Simba, my friend, I am not very pleased with the Kings at the moment."

Simba eyed Rafiki curiously. Even Zazu was intent on listening, agape. Rafiki had never seemed to have a problem with the Great Kings when he spoke with them. What had happened?

"I asked dem about Kovu, about where he was going and why he was going dere," continued Rafiki. "Dey were very keen to avoid answering my questions directly. All I was able to get out of dem was dat Kovu was on a mission, and dat he would be gone for a few days, and dat dere was nothing to worry. If dere was, I would be de first to know, dey said."

"A mission…" Simba stared at the ground studiously. "That could mean he's finding himself like Vitani said… and it could mean many other things. Very vague and ambiguous…"

"Indeed," Rafiki said with a hint of displeasure. "I am not used to de Kings being vague. Dey are usually very straightforward. Dat said, I trust dem."

"Why do you suppose they're being vague, though?" Simba asked.

"Well… I do have a supposition, but I am unsure dat you will want to hear it."

Shrugging, Simba said, "I'll hear anything you've got, Rafiki."

"Walk with me, den," Rafiki said, turning his back on the lion and hornbill. "I am parched, my King, and you look like you could use a splash of water as well."

Zazu and Simba glanced once at each other before setting off after the mandrill, Zazu taking to the air once again. The water hole was a short distance away, and Rafiki was right—Simba was rather thirsty.

Reaching the water hole, Rafiki bent low to the shimmering water and cupped his hands against it, bringing water to his mouth and drinking it graciously. Simba followed suit a little ways away, and Zazu found a nearby tree on which to perch. "Quite a drought we are having, no?" said Rafiki, looking up from the water and leaping onto a proximate boulder, reclining in the sun. "Water level's already rather low here… give it a while longer and dere won't be any water left!"

"Don't remind me," sighed Simba. "Alright, Rafiki, what did you have to say, then?"

"Ah yes," Rafiki wiped his mouth quickly before continuing. "Well den, I wondered dis… what is something different about Kovu? I mean, something different from you, your father, and the Kings before him."

Simba pondered this for a moment. "Well, he had been exiled. Is that it?"

"Dat is true. But no, dat is not what I am tinking of."

"Er… mane color?" Simba was grasping at straws.

"Tink, now…" Rafiki said, staring into the Lion King's eyes. "Your father… he was a King, no?"

"Of course…"

"And his father?"

"A king…"

Rafiki winked. "See where I am heading here?"

It finally hit Simba. "Kovu's not a direct descendant of a former King. I mean, he isn't the son of a King like everyone else has been."

"Precisely," nodded Rafiki. "I wonder, den… maybe dis is a test for Kovu. Something dat will prove his worth to de Great Kings. I am not saying dat de Kings put him up to leaving, necessarily, but dey might have. Dey may also know he is off to do someting else and want to see if he can triumph on his own. Either way, I doubt he is off finding himself. De Kings, I tink, would have no problem telling me dat."

"So… you think Kovu is on some sort of mission, either by his own will or by the Great Kings?"

"Right, and if it is by his own will, de Kings still see it as a test of his worth. Dey can be like dat sometimes… I pray you will not be once you join dem."

Simba began to pace slowly. In that moment, he, too, was unhappy with his father and the other Kings. But just as Rafiki did, he trusted them—he had no choice but to. He would not tell the rest of the Pride—especially Kiara—about Rafiki's theory, though. At least not yet. They would instead continue under the assumption that Kovu was on a sort-of meditative retreat and would be returning in a few days' time. In the meantime…

"Thanks, Rafiki, you've been a huge help," Simba nodded quickly before turning back toward Pride Rock, Zazu fluttering out of the tree and to his side.

In the meantime… perhaps he could get more information from Vitani. After his talk with Rafiki, Simba now had his doubts, and if Rafiki was correct in his assumption, Vitani might know more than she had let off.

It was merely a question of how to get her to talk.

xXxXxXx

_"I'm on to you, Kovu."_

_ The voice had resounded across the lands, freezing Kovu in his tracks. He was alone; there was no one or no thing around for as far as the eye could see. And yet the voice had come, had found him somehow._

_ Kovu whipped his head around to see the fog descending upon him from behind. He began to run, panicked—though he knew it would not matter. The fog, as it always did, would catch him eventually._

_ And still he ran. Kovu ran fast, so fast that the ground below his paws did not even feel present, as if he were dashing across the air, as if there were no longer any boundaries to the world he resided in. The cloudless, starless night sky loomed over him like a massive dark blue blanket that threatened to envelop him absolutely. The voice of Simba continued on, continued to speak to Kovu, but Kovu had been unable to make out his words over his exhausted panting as he darted across the flat, treeless land._

_ The invisible twigs came, as they always did. They snapped at Kovu's face, and Kovu swore he could taste blood as he slowed down, the fog engulfing his heels, an unseen force knocking him to the ground._

_ The fog swirled and churned, shaping itself into an all-too-familiar face—the head of Simba. Unlike the past, however, the fog held back, not forming Simba's entire body. It loomed over him, ominous, as Simba glared down at Kovu_

_"I'm on to you," Simba repeated._

_ "Wh-what do you mean?"_

_ "You've deserted your Pride. Left them to die. Left me to die. Left your future wife to die. And all you worried about was saving your own hide."_

_ "That wasn't my intent! I went to s—"_

_ "Went to what?" Simba growled. "Went to join them? Is that it? Can I expect your sister and the other Outlanders to run off soon as well?"_

_ "You're not listening! I went—"_

_ Simba roared deafeningly, and Kovu was sent cowering, his pulse pounding inside his head, his heart hammering within his chest. He was paralyzed once more; unable to run, unable to escape. _

_ The fog above and aside Simba eddied about, and Kovu swore he could make out other tiny faces beginning to form from out of the corner of his eye as he stared up at Simba._

_ "And what about your two little friends, Kovu? Hm? How much longer were you planning on keeping the truth from them? They're basically children!"_

_ "N—"_

_ "Not only are you toying with our lives, but their lives as well! You're leading them to their deaths!" cried Simba._

_ "NO! THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M DOING… I… oh, no."_

_ Koko and Bidii's faces had formed in the fog beside Simba. They gazed at Simba sadly—Koko's round canine eyes even seemed to have tears welling up in them._

_ "I should have known," Koko said finally. "Th-the entire time, y-you weren't one of th-the good g-guys…"_

_ "Yeah, we trusted you, and it was all for nothing, wasn't it, Koko? We were gonna die if we never learned the truth, yeah, that's it, we were gonna die and you weren't gonna care at all, were you, Kovu? It never, ever even crossed your mind because you never, ever cared about anyone but yourself. Simba told us the entire story, didn't you, sir? Yeah, he told us everything you were planning, yes he did," Bidii spoke so fast it was a wonder he had enough breath for it all._

_ "No! You've got it all wrong! I would never try to hurt you two!" Kovu exclaimed pleadingly._

_ "S-save it," Koko howled, fighting back tears. "I don't wanna h-hear it anymore."_

_ "Koko, no! I care deeply about you, I'd never put you in harm's way! Nor you, Bidii! Remember when I said I'd tell you when we were in danger? I meant every word!" _

_ Koko shook her head and closed her eyes, fangs gritting against one another. Bidii glowered at Kovu as he rested his head against Koko's. Simba looked down at them questioningly. Finally, Koko reopened her eyes. Blood-red eyes. Blood-red eyes against the darkened sky._

_ "K-kill him," she said in a voice much lower and mature than what Kovu had heard from her prior. And then Koko and Bidii vanished in a wisp of fog, leaving only Simba. The fog swirled again, against Simba's head, as the rest of his torso appeared through the mist. Simba flexed his claws, grinning forebodingly. "With pleasure," he snarled._

_ "PLEASE, STOP! SIMBA, I BEG YOU, PLEASE, HAVE MERCY—"_

_ "I think I'm going to enjoy this," said the Lion King with a sneer._

_ "NO, SIMBA,PLEASE! KOKO! BIDII! KOKO!!!"_

"Kovu, what is it?!"

Kovu sat up hastily, blinking once, twice, three times. He stood and looked around. He was standing in the grouping of trees they had fallen asleep in. There was no Simba around, no fog, no starless sky… it had been a dream… he was alive.

"Are y-you okay?" Koko had sidled up to Kovu, gaping up at him in both fear and concern. "You were c-crying in your sleep… scared us half to death. I don't even know where B-bidii went…"

Kovu sighed deeply and shook his head. "I'm fine… just a bad dream, that's all. I'm… prone to them."

"S-so you had a bad dream… about Bidii and I? And s-some Simba guy? Who's S-simba?"

Glancing up at the sky, Kovu was relieved to find that it was not the evening yet; rather, he approximated there to be at least a few hours of daylight left. He shook his mane out from over his eyes and put on the best grin he could muster. "It's about time I let you know where we're going, isn't it?"

"If you w-want…"

"I do. It was wrong of me to even keep you guessing this long. Where'd you say Bidii had gone?"

Koko shrugged. "Knowing him, he'll be up a tree or something. He thought you were going to e-eat him."

"Well, find him," said Kovu. "We need to get moving if we're going to catch that lioness… that I still need to tell you about." Kovu laughed. "I'll fill you guys in on the way."

While he was unsure if the Simba of his dreams would truly react the same way in real life, something about the dream-Koko and dream-Bidii had stirred something inside Kovu; there could be no more secrets. If these two were to accompany him, they had to know the risks. Kovu knew full well that things could become very dangerous very soon, and privately he wondered if they were even prepared to be in the midst of his encounter with Jasusi and her allies.

He would give them the decision to stay or leave, though Kovu hoped it would be the former. They would be useful, no matter what. _And, _Kovu thought with a grin, _they're really beginning to grow on me_.

"A-all ready!" said Koko cheerfully, clamoring toward Kovu from behind a tree, Bidii at that moment clenched between her jaws. Kovu smiled warmly. He was glad to have this company.

"Alright," Kovu said. "Let's go."

**END CHAPTER**

**If it's not obvious already, the character of Koko is really, reeeeally growing on me, LOL. I don't think I've enjoyed writing an original character of mine as much as her. :3**

**Right, once again, this chapter was a major talker, so sorry about that. I kinda bored myself, even. But I'd never write something that I didn't think was essential to the story, so know that, at least. Also, since I'm leaving for Nashville for a few days tomorrow morning, I wanted to get in a quick update before I left. When I get back, I'm hoping to order my thoughts a little better and write an altogether better chapter.**

**Thanks dearly for reading, as always. Everyone who has been reading this story (both here and at the TLK forums it has been posted on) are totally on my Nice List, so far out, d00ds. Also, in my few years of writing fanfics, this is the first time I've updated on Christmas, so I feel it necessarily to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays as well! Here's hoping it was a good day. Mine started off kinda weird (power went out for like ten hours, LOL) but it was good altogether. :D**

**Look for an update sometime in the next two weeks, perhaps even within a week!**

**~YFWE**


	7. Temptation

**Wokovu: Kovu's Journey**

**Chapter 7: Temptation**

Days passed, though the sweltering conditions of the Serengeti did not let up even remotely. The drought that had troubled the plains had continued, with no signs of ceasing. What was more, Kovu had a feeling that they were merely getting lucky, having had bodies of water—small, but water all the same—that presented themselves throughout their journey.

But what worried Kovu was not the drought and the growing scarcity of water; rather, it was that, after many days of searching, still they had yet to find Jasusi. Granted, he had not exactly expected to catch up to her immediately, but all the same, paranoia had begun to creep in and Kovu wondered fleetingly if, just maybe, they were on the wrong path.

Surely that could not be so, though—Kovu continued to pound this ideal into his head. After all, they had been following the lioness's scent the whole way. Koko had done the bulk of the tracking, but Kovu had even sniffed the ground a time or two to be sure they were still on her scent, and they definitely were—there was no mistaking Jasusi's scent. What was more, Jasusi's scent was still strong—she could not be more than a few days ahead, if even that.

And still Kovu was worried, due mainly to a decision he had made days prior. The first day, after Koko, Bidii and he had napped near the large rock edifice and Kovu had first experience the new (and now recurring) nightmare that now included Koko and Bidii, Kovu had come to a 'fork in the road' of sorts. Jasusi's scent had split; one trail continued to lead off deeper into the savanna, while the other had trailed off into a split in the large rock. The scent on the left had been stronger and so they had taken it, but it had still certainly caused Kovu some distress. He chalked it up, however, to Jasusi stopping for a short drink at the oasis that sat at the center of the split. After all, she had left alone—if she had gone down to find reinforcements, surely she would have left with them… right?

At least something had gone right, though—Kovu had, at long last, told Koko and Bidii of his plans and why he was following Jasusi. Although his dreams involving them had still not subsided by any means as a result, he certainly felt better for it, and had at least given them a chance to leave if they wanted. To his surprise (and, too, his delight), they had not decided to desert him—in fact, the prospect of helping appeared to be all the more enticing to the two young animals.

Kovu could not deny that this was slightly worrisome, nonetheless. Why were Koko and Bidii so eager to help him, so eager to stay by his side? Was it simply the fact that he was a lion and thus able to protect them? Not that Kovu minded—he enjoyed their company; if he were doing this alone, he would have gone insane eventually. He did wonder their reasons for being out on their own, as neither had even brought it up since they joined Kovu, but he certainly would not press the issue. Just as he had told them about his plight, perhaps in due time they would do the same.

The young lion sniffed long and low at the ground, his black mane falling over his eyes. Jasusi's tracks were still there; Koko had done well. Kovu even reckoned they were making ground on the lioness; her scent seemed stronger and stronger each day. This gave Kovu an energized gait and only heightened his anticipation of catching the fleeing lioness, though he still had a tendency to let this hope become overwhelmed by pessimistic thoughts. At the very least, by that point there was a bit of a balance.

"Well, I think it's awesome, Koko, I really do, don't you? If that's what they taught where you came from, I definitely wouldn't mind stopping by and learning a thing or two, oh no, I wouldn't, d'you think they'd mind, Koko? A little someone like me learnin' from the greats? I don't think they'd mind, d'you?"

_And so begins the proverbial talking off of Koko's ear, _Kovu thought, chuckling quietly. Most morning's started with this, Bidii finally becoming fully awake and settling into one of his moods during which if Kovu or Koko was able to get in so much as five words in, it was a personal triumph.

"Seeing as I'm a predator by nature and you're more or less food to most—" Koko started.

"So you think they'd say yes? I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. That would be so exciting, learning from all the legends, just like you have, yeah, I would have so many great things to say to my family when I find them again! Oh wow, Koko, I can't wait, it'll be great!"

"What're you two talking about anyway?" Kovu asked curiously, lowering his head so that he loomed directly above the small animals.

"Koko was just telling me an awesome story her elders told her when she was young, weren't you, Koko? It was a great story, and—" started Bidii excitedly.

"It was just a story. Something they told the young before we went to bed," interrupted Koko, shrugging. She had lost most of her stutter now when she was around Kovu, at least compared to her state when they first met. Kovu was glad that she seemed to be warming up to him; she seemed like an easily intimidated individual, so the less intimidating that made him sound, the better.

"Well, we probably still have a ways to walk. Why don't you fill me in?" Kovu smiled warmly. Idle chatter to pass the time was nary a bad thing, and he was marginally interested in the teachings and culture of a species not his own. He had only lived among other lions, after all.

"W-well, okay," started Koko, pausing then as if to think how to best start the story she was about to tell. "My kind can be a spiritual group, or at least the clan I come from can be. Much of what we believe is based on myths and past teachings of the mystics. I could go on for days about all of the different stories they told, b-but… well, the one that I was telling Bidii about, it's about… spirit guardians."

"Spirit guardians?" asked Kovu, intrigued. "I've never heard of anything like that." And it was true; he had not. He had been taught of the Great Kings and how they watched over the Pride Lands, and had a weird feeling that Rafiki was somehow omnipresent, but he had never heard of anything along the lines of a spirit guardian.

Koko continued, "What we've been told is that every being in this land has a guardian that watches over them and protects them from bad decisions and from evil. Like… like our conscience." She paused before continuing to explain. "Our guardian is always present, even if we can't see it, and we are never without it. But there are times, it is said, that our guardians appear to us when we really need guidance."

"Yeah, and tell him what you were thinking, Koko! Tell Kovu what you were thinking about the spirit guardians, and about Kovu! Oh, he'll be so surprised, won't he, won't he? Please tell him!" Koko could barely contain his excitement.

"Yeah, tell me, Koko!" Kovu laughed, flashing an amicable grin at the small wild dog.

"Koko thinks maybe you're our spirit guardian!" Bidii blurted out before Koko had a chance to answer.

"Does she now?" Kovu grinned warmly at the canine. Koko returned a slightly abashed grin and nodded.

"I said 'maybe.' I just think… it'd be c-cool, you know? Like maybe it wasn't an accident that we met you. Maybe there was a reason you decided not to eat us and let us follow you on this quest. Maybe it's fate."

Kovu chuckled as he continued to walk along. He was quite flattered that his newfound friends thought of him in such an alluring light, whether there was truth to Koko's theory or not.

"Well, in that case, let's say that I am."

He paused for a moment, of course causing Koko and Bidii to stop in their tracks as well. Straightening his mane, Kovu sat back on his haunches and put on his most regal-like expression as he patted both animals—first Bidii, and then Koko, lingering upon her for a brief moment longer.

"Then by the power vested in me by the Great Kings of the Past, or whatever gods might be out there, I hereby reveal myself to be Koko and Bidii's spirit guardian, and as such, I promise to protect them always and to defend them from all evil they might come across. I promise also to shut up Bidii if he ever gets too talkative for Koko's liking."

"And with that he patted both on the head again, and rather unceremoniously for that matter, grinning as he did so. "And for my first official act as your spirit guardian, I propose that we find some food. Any ideas?"

Koko reached a paw up to her crown as soon as Kovu's own paw had left it, smoothing out the fur atop her head. She glanced around the arena that they had been treading across, which had transitioned from a barren savanna to what appeared to be a more fruitful area. At the very least, they would be able to find vegetation in the area, that much was for sure.

On the horizon, and to their left, stood a series of trees. Tall trees, at that, and quite plentiful. Koko squinted. There was something familiar about those trees, though she was at that point unaware of what that was exactly. She sensed that Kovu had followed her gaze and thus knew that visiting the forest was only imminent. Still, the feeling in the pit of her stomach, that there was something not quite right about this place, persisted.

"What about—" Kovu started.

"Hey, Kovu! What about over there? See those trees? I'll bet there's something over there! Things _live _in trees, don't they?!" Bidii shouted, almost beside himself at having found something he deemed of use to them.

Kovu rolled his eyes. "Yes, Bidii, I see it. There'll be water at the very least. What do you think, Koko?"

Koko, however, did not seem nearly as enticed about the idea. She squinted her eyes at the tree formation once more, an expression of doubt formed across her muzzle. It was clear that she had reason not to trust the place. "I don't know," she whispered. "Something doesn't feel right. Maybe we s-should keep moving…"

Kovu grinned and pulled the small canine into an affable hug. "Aw, c'mon, Koko. Who knows when we'll get another chance like this!"

"I thought you were worried about catching Jasusi."

The lion's face scrunched in slight frustration. "I—well—" He could not deny that Koko had a point. And yet, they had not eaten in so long. They would not be able to go on for much longer.

"It'll just be a quick stop. We have Jasusi's scent, after all; we just need to come right back out here. If we keep going, we'll be unable to go on in a few days' time."

Feeling as if his reasoning was reason enough to convince Koko that a stop in the nearby jungle would not be adverse to their well-being and instead beneficial, Kovu turned toward the jungle and set off in its direction, Bidii in tow.

"Coming, Koko?"

Koko had remained rooted to the spot, still eying the large forest with an untrusting leer. Something did not feel right to her just looking at the place, though she could still not place a paw on what it was. Begrudgingly, she finally began to follow behind, her countenance sullen as she continued to stare forward, still untrusting of Kovu's decision. She was hungry; that much was true. Their last meal had came two nights prior in the form of a few small bugs—revolting, of course, but Koko had become well accustomed to those sorts of meals since she left home.

And then it hit her.

"Guys. G-guys! I really can't g-go in. I won't!"

Kovu stopped again, sighing as he turned to face the wild dog. "What is it this time, Koko? We're almost there now."

Bidii's attention, however, remained fixed upon the jungle. Something seemed to dawn on him, and he began to jump up and down excitedly, turning to his friend.

"Hey, Koko, see it? See that place? That's where you grew up, isn't it? It's where we met and where your family lives! Remember it? Oh, wow, I thought it looked familiar. Isn't this great, Koko? You can see your family again!"

xXxXxXx

Jasusi had not expected this.

A low flame burned near her, giving a tiny amount of light to the forest floor she stood upon. At the least, it was light enough for Jasusi to realize that she was surrounded on all sides, preventing an escape on her part. The lions that surrounded her, like silhouettes against the dark backdrop of the forest, occasionally glanced at her, speaking in low voices to one another. The sun was setting in the distance, though this was a bit difficult to view from their position deep in the forest, as the trees were so plenteous and voluminous that the sky was barely even visible among them.

"I must say," spoke Jasusi, addressing any of the lions who might listen, "your pride doesn't have the best customs when it comes to welcoming your guests. I'd have expected more… what's the word… class from the Mwituni pride."

"You are no guest, outsider," grumbled one of the nearby lions, a burly male. "You are trespassing. You are lucky we have not killed you. Most are not as lucky."

"Charming. Then, brother, why have you spared me if I am such an unruly, sinful trespasser?"

Through the darkness, Jasusi could see the lion look over at one of his acquaintances, give a firm nod, and turn to face Jasusi. The male padded toward her quietly, his paws making nary a sound on the soft forest floor, his acquaintance moving over slightly to fill the gap that had been left. Jasusi stood, holding her ground,staring forward as the lion came into full view for the first time. He was a pale being, though his fur seemed considerably darker due to the dim conditions. A light brown mane rippled idly as he walked.

But what Jasusi found to be most interesting were the foreign markings that dotted the lion's fur. Brown, green, yellow, black—they covered the lion's body in a pattern of swirls and symbols. Jasusi had heard of war paint being especially persistent in certain prides. She hoped that this was not one of those prides; war was certainly not on her agenda—at least not just yet, anyway.

Continuing until he was not even a paw's length from Jasusi's muzzle, the lion sent her a cold sneer. "If it were my decision," he said as he began to slowly pace circles around the lioness, keeping his head close to hers in truly intimidating fashion, "you'd be dead already. However, if you are who you claim to be, it would not be in my best interest to kill you, trespasser or not."

"Wise move," retorted the lioness.

"But," the lion continued, "should your story prove to be false," he lowered his muzzle so that it was directly against Jasusi's ears, his final words whispered so that the lions surrounding them would need to strain to her them, "I shall take great pleasure in murdering you in front of the entire pride."

"Luteni!"

The lion jerked around, backing away from Jasusi.

"That's enough. I shall deal with her."

A new lion-like figure had appeared at the outside of the circle of lions. Its silhouette was even darker against the flickering flames that flitted around the forest ground. An opening was created in the crowd so that the lion could step through. Jasusi, squinting, noticed a large headdress of various treasures atop the lion's head, along with the familiar multi-colored pastes that covered his body. A jet black mane flowered regally beneath the headdress and against an equally dark pelt.

The lion known as Luteni stole a begrudged glance at Jasusi before retreating back to the outside of the circle. Once there, he slowly ran a claw against his throat once he caught Jasusi's eye once more, a fang-bearing grin splayed across his muzzle.

Jasusi felt the new lion's gaze resting upon her, his emerald eyes seeming to glow in the dark as they bore into her. Fleetingly she felt like cowering, of showing complete and total fear and subservience to the lion in hopes of being spared from a possible, untimely death. But she stood firm. If she was to satisfy any of her own interests, it was the least she could do.

"State your name," said the lion in a deep voice.

"Jasusi."

"What is your business here, Jasusi?"

"To gather support for a cause."

The lion studied her for a few moments. His gaze did not waver, his expression static as his eyes burned holes through the lioness. Finally he spoke, "My name is Dhambi. You are in the land of the Mwituni." He nodded curtly. "I hope you are aware that the punishment for trespassing within our bounds is often death. Are you carrying a cub at this time?"

Jasusi shook her head. "I come alone."

"Pity. Saying yes would have no doubt spared you."

Jasusi could feel Dhambi's leer continuing to go over nearly every facet of her body, as if he was a hungry cub sitting before the first wildebeest kill he would ever devour. It was at that point that Jasusi had a feeling that, regardless of whether or not she was able to convince the lion to lead his pride into battle against Simba, she would not be killed. The look in Dhambi's eye told her all she needed to know.

"You claim you are a friend of Zira," continued Dhambi. "I do not recall her mentioning you. Tell me, how is she?" He licked his lips at the memory of the elder lioness.

"Oh, she's fine, just lying in the bottom of a gorge dead," growled Jasusi.

Dhambi's eyes widened. "Zira… dead?"

"This is why I came to see you, my good lion. Zira left her dream, her vengeance in my paws. She instructed me to find help and to return to take the Pride Lands. She had spoken highly of you in the past, so I came to humbly ask for the help of your pride," Jasusi took a cautious step toward the lion.

Dhambi continued to run his eyes across Jasusi's slender frame. "Yes? And what would be in it for the Mwituni, hm?"

Sensing that an opportunity had finally begun to present itself, Jasusi sauntered forward, rubbing devilishly close to Dhambi as she encircled him. "I know that you know of the prestige of the Pride Lands, Dhambi." Her tail blithely brushed against his pelt. "And… well, if I am to be Queen when we succeed… I will need a King…"

The lion's cheeks flushed, though it was unnoticeable in the dimly light opening of the forest. Jasusi brushed against Dhambi once more, pausing briefly to check the heart rate of the lion, which to her pleasure, had quickened.

"I will…" Dhambi began, seeming to fumble over his words, "I will h-help you, my sweet. But first," he glanced down at Jasusi, a ravenous glint in his eye, "I require… proof that you are true to your word. Do you understand?"

Jasusi smiled sweetly, though internally she protested her morals. _The things I do for you, Zira_, she cursed herself before complying with the old lion's request. "Ah, yes. Show me, Dhambi, you _beast_, you. Show me what I have to look forward to.

With a loud roar, Dhambi demanded that a path be cleared for the two lions as he stepped forward, beckoning for Jasusi to follow him deeper into the forest. Jasusi complied without hesitation, a bit annoyed at the terms of their help and what it would entail. Regardless, it appeared as if she had added a second pride to her ranks. She could return to the Matapeli and then to the Pride Lands very soon.

As Dhambi and Jasusi passed Luteni, the lioness sent a haughty sneer at the lion, as if to mock him for the turn of events that had unfolded. Luteni glared back, his fangs gritted against one another as he watched the lion and lioness amble off into the night.

He had never appreciated Dhambi's rule, but this was simply unbearable. Something would have to be done.

END CHAPTER


End file.
